New Trams For Sacramento

On 24 April 2020 Siemens Mobility announced that it has been awarded a contract from Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) for 20 Type S700 trams. This is the Siemens’s first new order from Sacramento since late 1980s, when SacRT ordered 36 Type U2A vehicles. The contract worth, including spare parts and special tools, is approximately 100 million USD. The trams will be built at Sacramento works, deliveries are scheduled to start in 2022. We asked Siemens for basic technical data of these „latest generation S700 low-floor light rail vehicles“. They are as follows.

S700 was introduced by Siemens in 2018, updating the 15-year-old S70 platform. The S700’s key distinction from its predecessor is its innovative centralised low-floor configuration making it one of the most accessible vehicles of its kind in today’s market. 

As developed for Seattle, the 1,435 mm gauge six-axle S700 tram has steel bodyshells and is equipped with two powered bogies (one under each end) and a non-powered centre bogie. The SacRT trams are designed for a 1,500 V DC supply voltage, have a maximum design speed of 105 km/h (65 mph) and a maximum service speed of 88 km/h (55 mph). Their motor power rating is 4x 130 kW, a service acceleration and deceleration is 1.34 m/s² and an emergency braking rate 2.23 m/s².

The length over couplings is 28,942 mm, width 2,650 mm and height above rail top is 3,870/6,800 mm with pantograph lowered/raised. A wheelbase of the powered bogies is 1,900 mm and that of the non-powered one is 1,800 mm. A minimum curve radius negotiable is 25 m, a maximum operational gradient 70 ‰.

The tram has 74 seats and a space for up to 151 standees at 6 per m², or for up to 202 standees at 8 per m². Each S700 is equipped with four wide sliding plug doors on each sidewall, all located in the low-floor area, and has two roof-mounted HVAC units. The floor in the high-floor section is 881 mm above rail top and in the low-floor section 366 mm above rail top (threshold) or 381 mm (centre).

The interior maintains the many proven aspects of the S70. The end-to-end low-floor access for all passengers including those in the ADA community and better sightlines for security allows for noticeably improved passenger flow and comfort, safety and efficiency. The vehicle is also equipped with four wheelchair spaces allowing for priority seating to disabled passengers and doorway ramps to assist in the boarding. The tram empty weight is 46.9 t. 

Until now, over 350 Type S700 trams were sold, including Sacramento’s 20 vehicles.